


Down Along The Cascade Range

by MangoTea



Category: The Sentinel (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Road Trip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-09-28 13:06:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17183540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MangoTea/pseuds/MangoTea
Summary: Jim decided to drag Blair away from his work and the city for a weekend. He claims to be taking them to his favorite steakhouse near some ranches down in Oregon, but he really wants to show Blair one of the sights along the way.





	Down Along The Cascade Range

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SassyInkPen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SassyInkPen/gifts).



Blair woke up in Jim’s truck. The sun was high in the sky. He didn’t know if it was a bit before noon or a bit after. He lay there in the reclined seat and felt the motion of the car and the faint smells of snow and wood smoke. Paper rustled and a bag landed on his stomach.

“Please tell me it’s coffee?”

“Lunch, but there is a thermos by your feet,” Jim said.

Blair groaned. “How many hours have you been stuck driving while I’ve been out?”

“Hardly stuck, Chief.”

Blair pushed the back into his lap and pulled the seatback up. The road gently curved left and right through snow laden pines. Blair watched as the endless trees drifted by. Jim looked relaxed as he watched the road ahead.

“It’s beautiful out here.”

“Yeah, it is.” Jim poked his shoulder. “Eat, get some caffeine in you,”

Blair opened the bag to find a wrapped filled with tempeh, avocado and sprouts. Suddenly hungry, he devoured it along with coffee and water from his bottle. The tempeh was roasted perfectly and the avocado mashed up with with hot sauce.

“This is amazing,” Blair said.

“Yeah, there is some weird health food wrap place aimed at people going to Hood for snowboarding. They also have real food.”

“I didn’t notice stopping for lunch?”

“You were a log. You’ve been pushing yourself pretty hard recently.”

“You left me in a parking lot?”

Jim snorted. “I can keep an eye on you anywhere, but no. They have a drive through. We can hit it again on out way home.”

“So you would leave me asleep in a parking lot?”

“With me keeping an ear out you’d be safer in a parking lot than most of the places you’ve slept in pretty much your entire life.”

“Fair point.” Blair shrugged and ate the last bite.

Blair sunk back into his seat and enjoyed the continuously shifting view in front of him. No music was playing, none that Blair could hear at least. It was just them, the truck and the road. No lyrics or changing melodies meant that he could fall into a semi-meditative state, let his mind drift and rest as he enjoyed the view and being with Jim.

The view suddenly changed as Jim swung the truck down a dirt road. Blair grabbed the handle on the truck’s ceiling to brace himself. The turn and deceleration were sudden. The road went from smooth to bumpy. The truck shook and the air grew darker. The trees were much closer on on this narrow road. Instead of the sun shining down on wet black pavement, the mossy branches nearly made a canopy overhead.

Blair glanced at Jim and saw just a hint of a smile. He was up to something. The path led down into the woods. The truck swayed slightly as the tires lost traction for a moment over the rocks and mud, but Jim seemed unbothered. If anyone else has been driving, Blair would have been freaked out. Instead the rise in his pulse was from a thrill of adventure. He was sure Jim was taking him someplace special, but even just seeing this dirt road was worth it. It was lovely in a dark and creepy way.

“I thought we were headed for a town? I’m surprised we aren’t there by now,” Blair said.

“Detour,” Jim said. “That’s what happens when you let me plan trips.”

At the end of the road were a few parking spots marked by concrete bumpers. Beyond that a river rushed by with a dull roar. The rocks in the riverbed churned up the water and tossed spray and mist into the air.

Jim parked, opened the door and jumped out. He grabbed a duffel from the back and walked off down a break in the undergrowth that barely qualified as a path. Blair was still looking around and taking in the little parking area down the unmarked road.

“C’mon,” Jim called.

Blair slid out of the truck. Jim was already partially obscured by trees. Blair locked the door and took off after him. Blair grinned, Jim was definitely up to something. He wasn’t sure what, but he couldn’t wait to find out.

The path lead to a small pool of water next to a wall of rock. Jim was more sure-footed on the muddy path and had gotten there well ahead of Blair. The view was stunning. Cracks in the rock left it striped with dark green moss. The calm pool contrasted with the rapids.

Blair paused and took a deep breath. This stunning view was the goal, and it was well worth the stop. Then Jim pulled off his jacket and shirt, and undid his pants. Blair blinked and ran down next to him. He was down to blue swimming trunks by the time Blair got there.

“What the hell, man?” Blair said.

Jim shrugged and stepped into the water. That is when he noticed the faint steam. It was hard to see amid all the spray the river kicked up.

“Cascade Range is volcanic. There are lots of springs along certain rivers,” Jim said. “C’mon on the water is … cool on top, but warm underneath.”

“Please tell me the duffel is full of towels?”

“And your swim trunks, and wool socks in case you didn’t bring any.”

Blair didn’t hesitate. He started to strip down in the chill air. He found his trunks, towels and extra Nalgene bottles filled with water in the bag. He stepped in cold mud at the river bank, then into cool water, then the next step was warm. The bottom was muddy. He stepped carefully at first, not to wanting to stir up the mud too much. Then he took the next steps in a rush. He wanted to get into the warm. He slipped a bit and Jim grabbed his arm and pulled him close.

“Not bad, huh?” Jim said.

“Jim this is … this place is amazing. I didn’t even see a sign.”

“No sign. Most of these spots are unmarked. You just need to know the area.”

Blair leaned into Jim. The heat of the water was soaking into his feet and legs. Tension he didn't even know he was carrying started to melt away.

“This place is magic, hidden in the woods.”

“Hippy.” Jim tugged at his curls. “We lucked out a little. A few times I’ve been here I found kids partying or worse. There’s a larger one upstream somewhere. There are historical pictures of the baththouse that was built over it. I never found it when I was a teen. I wonder if I could sniff it out now.”

“I’m game for hot springs hunting. That sounds like the most amazing hobby ever. This place though, I don’t think any other place could be prettier.”

“It’s also hard to match the thrill of surprise hidden hot spring.”

“Is that why we are going to La Pine? You really just wanted this as a rest stop? The whole craving a steak at a certain restaurant was a ruse?”

“I wasn’t kidding about the steaks, but yeah. I had a hunch you’d like this.”

“Jim, this is the best. I still feel bad that you had to plan all this and do all the driving while I was conked out.”

Jim looked at him levelly for a moment. “Since we joined up your work has doubled but I’ve been able to take on additional cases. Cold Cases sent me a fruit basket, of fruit they stole from the break room, but the thought was there. I’ve been able to make more time for them than any other detective.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s a point.”

“You are amazing at helping people and taking care of those you love. You are complete shit at accepting people taking care of you.”

Blair was silent.

“I love you,” Jim said. “Let me take care of you more.”

“You don’t owe-”

“Of course not. This isn’t about that. This is about me taking care of someone I love. I want to spend more time taking care of you because I feel closer to you when I do. Last week you had to study all night, and I was planning this.”

Jim pulled Blair over to the side. There was a large boulder under the water. Jim sat with Blair in his lap.

“I feel like a mermaid perched on a sailor,” Blair said.

“You’ve got the hair for it.” Jim ran a hand through his curls.

“Don’t encourage me, I’ll start singing.” Instead of singing he lifted Jim’s jaw and kissed him.

“Hey, Chief,” Jim said.

“Hey yourself.”

Blair leaned into him and looked around. On one side was a giant, jagged wall of rock. On the other a current rushed by that would knock him about if he tried to stand in it. In the middle was warmth, safety and Jim’s strong arms. The air was cold. Blair could feel the cold, but it couldn’t chill him.

Blair rested his head on Jim’s shoulder. They sat there, shifting from time to time to take in different views of the river and trade kisses.

‘A plunge into the unknown only to find a place of warmth and peace. That’s what my life has been since I started following him, since I started trusting my Sentinel,’ Blair thought. He slid down a bit to rest his head, close his eyes and just feel the moment, just feel Jim’s arms and the contrasting energies of nature around them. Jim cupped the back of his head with a large hand and held Blair as he rested for a while.

“C’mon, Chief, we can’t stay here forever,” Jim said.

“Actually, I plan to.”

Jim gave him a puzzled look. Despite his words, Blair pulled himself out of the water and ran to quickly dry himself. Jim shook his head and followed his Guide.

  


**Author's Note:**

> My first Sentinel fic after all these years! Geographical details are roughly correct and the drive through health food wrap place near Government Camp does exist, and has a massive patio bar for evenings.


End file.
